The verdict in three sentences
Switching hosts is only risky if you improvise the DNS cutover. With a staging clone, a TTL reduced to 300 s, and post-cutover monitoring, visible downtime drops to zero minutes. The service costs 150,000-350,000 FCFA — trivial next to the hundreds of thousands of FCFA a shop loses in 24 h of downtime during a campaign.
Botched migration vs clean migration
The same host switch can be invisible or catastrophic. It all comes down to preparation. Here's the contrast.
| Criterion | Botched migration | Clean migration |
|---|---|---|
| Visible downtime | 12-48 h | 0 min |
| DNS preparation | none, default 24 h TTL | TTL reduced to 300 s before D-day |
| Test environment | direct cutover in prod | validated staging clone |
| Traffic loss | 20-60 % drop during outage | none |
| Email during cutover | bounces, losses | continuity assured |
| Rollback possible | not prepared | ready in minutes |
The secret fits on one line: reduce the DNS TTL to 300 s at least 24 h before cutover, so propagation is near-instant at switch time.
The costed steps of a zero-downtime cutover
A clean migration follows a precise order, each step with its own duration. Here's the typical run.
| Step | Action | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clone the site to staging on the new host | 1-3 days |
| 2 | Full tests (pages, forms, payment) | 0.5-1 day |
| 3 | Reduce DNS TTL to 300 s | 24 h before D-day |
| 4 | Final data sync | 30-60 min |
| 5 | Switch DNS records | 5 min |
| 6 | Network propagation | 5 min to 24 h |
| 7 | Monitoring and TTL reset | 24-48 h after |
Propagation can theoretically take up to 24 h, but with a prepared TTL, nearly all visitors switch within minutes, noticing nothing.
Mini case study
Bineta runs an online shop in Dakar doing about 400,000 FCFA in sales per day. A poorly prepared migration would have cost her 24 h of downtime mid-campaign — 400,000 FCFA in lost sales plus abandoned carts and frustrated customers. She paid 250,000 FCFA for a zero-downtime migration service: 0 minutes of unavailability, no lost sales. The service cost less than half of a single avoided day of downtime.
Become a Kolonell referral partner
Know shopkeepers or businesses whose site is crawling or who need to change hosts? Refer them and earn a commission on every signed project — with no technical work on your side.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
| Type of referred project | Referral commission |
|---|---|
| Brochure site | 15 % + 5 % recurring |
| E-commerce | 12 % |
| Marketplace | 10 % |
| Institutional | 8 % |
A single qualified introduction can earn from tens to hundreds of thousands of FCFA depending on the pole. We handle the migration, hosting, and follow-up; you handle the relationship.
FAQ
Will I lose traffic or SEO by changing hosts?
No, if the cutover is prepared with a reduced DNS TTL and a staging clone tested first. Content and URLs stay identical, so ranking is preserved.
How long does DNS propagation take?
From 5 minutes to 24 h in theory, but with the TTL lowered to 300 s beforehand, nearly all visitors switch within minutes. Monitoring confirms correct routing.
How much does a migration service cost in 2026?
Between 150,000 and 350,000 FCFA depending on site size and complexity (email, database, payment). That's far less than a single day of lost sales for an active shop.
Can I migrate myself risk-free?
It's possible on a simple site, but the risk of downtime and lost email is real without DNS preparation. For an active online store, the service prevents losses far larger than its cost.
Will my business email be cut off during migration?
No, if MX records are managed separately and continuity assured. A clean migration switches the site without interrupting email.
Let's talk about your project. We plan your hosting migration with zero downtime and no lost sales. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
